Kitchen Call: Simple salads with a French accent

Monday

Jul 14, 2014 at 12:28 PMJul 14, 2014 at 12:34 PM

By Linda BassettMore Content Now

Old kitchens capture my imagination. Iím not saying Iíd ever want to cook in a fireplace or chop my own firewood, or catch, kill and gut a chicken, then pull out its feathers. Especially in summer. Neither can I imagine cooking without modern conveniences such as refrigeration, a food processor or an instant-read thermometer. I just like knowing what came before, and I like the look of antique equipment ó burnished copper pots, wrought iron tongs, thick wooden bowls polished by years of wear.Thumbing through old recipes cooked in those kitchens, especially with photos, I found some from the homes of 19th century French artists Paul Cezanne and Claude Monet. Cezanne lived in Provence; Monet in Normandy. Blinded by the idea of light, Monet painted landscapes and churches at different times of the day. Cezanne often painted food, mostly apples and pears. Iím sure that both these guys visited their kitchens rarely, although they certainly had opinions about what should be cooked there.Browsing through the recipes, it struck me that most of them seemed either very difficult to prepare or unappetizing. When I got done reading Cezanneís recipe for almond croissants, I just wanted to lie down and take a nap. When I read one for pork liver that even bacon couldnít rescue, I wanted to do something else. Recipes to inspire weight loss, I guess.Monetís stuffed capon, something chefs are rediscovering but I canít quite to terms with yet, called for so many ingredients that I wondered if anyone ever cooked it. Then, I saw the footnote: It was a holiday recipe. OK, once a year.I never found anything cool and clean and green and easy for a summerís day. And so, I put the books down, and looked elsewhere.I decided to let go the questionable romance of blistering kitchens and recipes that havenít withstood the test of time. Instead, a couple of simple salads. Because they donít rely on anything processed ó unless you count the tuna and olives ó maybe grandma had them in her recipe box. They still need enough hands-on prep to make them special.MIXED SUMMER SALADMakes 4 to 6 servingsThis modern French-style salad that could turn up in Normandy needs its own homemade dressing, nothing from a bottle or a jar. Itís plain enough to be familiar, but the homemade croutons taste so much better than the ones from a box. Itís great to put together with something on the grill.1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard1 tablespoon red wine vinegarsalt, to taste1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil2 large eggs, at room temperature3 tablespoons olive oil for cooking2 cups firm bread cubes8 cups mixed salad greens, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces1 pint large cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters1 garlic clove, finely minced1. Whisk together the mustard, vinegar, salt, and extra-virgin olive oil together. Set aside.2. Hard boil the eggs by bringing them to a boil in a saucepan of water to cover. Remove from the heat. Put the cover on the pan and let it sit for 12 minutes. Drain and put into cold running water until they cool. Crack and peel and coarsely chop.3. Heat the 3 tablespoons of oil in a skillet. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat. Cook, constantly stirring until they are golden brown. Tip the skillet into a colander to pour out the bread cubes, then pour out onto paper towels to get rid of extra oil. Salt them while still hot with coarse sea salt to give them extra crunch.4. Put the greens into a large bowl. Add tomatoes, eggs, garlic, and croutons and toss well. Add the dressing and toss ó gently so the chopped eggs donít turn to mush ó until everything is coated.TUNA, OLIVE, CELERY AND RED PEPPER SALADMakes 6 to 8 servingsMost of the elements in this salad could be found in Provence, but the olives would probably be black, not green. It tastes just as good with black Kalamata olives or those cured wrinkly ones, if you like them.If you donít like or canít find the dark tuna packed in oil, use white water-packed tuna; drain it well, and marinate it in olive oil for about 20 minutes before going ahead with the recipe.Make this a day ahead, cover it tightly and put in the refrigerator for the next dayís lunch. Perfect, too, on a hot night with crusty French bread and cold lemonade or a light beer.1 cup drained pimento-stuffed olives, cut in half crosswise5 inner ribs celery, thinly slicedA 6- to 7-ounce can tuna packed in oil1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1 teaspoon red wine vinegarFine ground sea salt, to taste1. Flake the tuna in the can into bite-size pieces. Transfer it and half the oil to a small bowl. Throw out the remaining oil from the can.2. Add all the remaining ingredients. Toss to blend. Taste for seasoning before serving.óó Linda Bassett is the author of ďFrom Apple Pie to Pad Thai: Neighborhood Cooking North of Boston.Ē Reach her by email at KitchenCall@aol.com, read her blog at LindABCooks.wordpress.com and follow her on Twitter @Kitchencall.